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Friday, March 12, 2010

Our pal John Sidel returns with a one hour slice of his radio show for your rainy Friday eve's download and rev-up:

The warmth and comfort of classic rock...

As nature has it, Californian winters are extremely pleasant. This past month, we had some of the worst cold and rain in recent memory. My neighborhood, Laurel Canyon is like a fair lady, she doesn’t necessarily agree with foul elements. The result is a distinct sound, a mixture of gusty winds and running water. For me it’s a trigger to thinking about winters past and reaching for that, dare I say, “classic rock”. Starting with the basics, I made a mental list of ten artists who came to mind and started listening from there.

The challenge for me is “dropping” a new artist or song into a mix of material that contains so much sentimental value. Listening back to the playlist I’m most happy and surprised to hear how these four contemporary artists, Edward Sharpe,Favorite Sons,Sarabeth Tucek, andSean Rowe, hold their own.

Some revelations: I put Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros in the mix because they recorded much of their album in a house across the street from the Zappa’s down the street. I’ve always thought Sharpe & Co reminded me of pre glam Bowie.

I had no intention of using “Great Gig In The Sky” in this program. Playing “Dark Side” felt too obvious for my style. I was looking to grab 45 seconds of Floyd's “spacey” side for my radio bed. It was late at night and I was overcome by the epic beauty of this recording. It made me reflect on the music bizz and what it really takes to sell millions of albums?

It also dawned on me that both the Floyd and Sharpe songs were mixed on the same EMI recording console. The “board”, now resides at Fairfax Recording Studios, down the hill in North Hollywood. That legendary console moved from Abby Road that gave birth to many Beatles recordings but I don’t think was used to make, “I got a Feeling” my Beatles selection for this mix. I’m going to have to check that.

It also meant a lot to drop a Jethro Tull song from the “Benefit” album at the top of the set. A first encounter with a piece of vinyl is often memorable and this was one of the very first purchases. It’s also one of my earliest memories of the magic of shopping in a record store.

I believe it was the winter of 1974. I was 12 and looking to have my own collection. I believe this little shop sold mostly opera and classical. I was playing on a basketball team with older kids who turned me onto Zeppelin. I think my mission was to buy another Zeppelin release and I believe it was Zeppelin 'II' I bought. I remember searching the bins to find a 2nd purchase but knowing very little, I inspected the record covers very closely. I believe I choose Tull because the name simply felt like a band that would sound or be like Led Zeppelin. I’ve loved and owned those two releases from that very day so it’s only fitting both are in this mix.

"...That was Jethro Tull with the appropriately titled “With You There To Help Me” indeed from the ‘Benefit’ album. It’s actually one of the first record I bought way back when. A very underrated treat.

Before that Amon Duul – little Krautrock Classic there with “Wolf City.” Saw online that thise guys are getting back together. WVUNDERBAR!

It’s cold and rainy in Laurel Canyon making me want to reach for the warmth of Classic Rock. Here’s a new band from the Canyon carrying on the tradition of classic rock..."Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Blackwater Cream – Those Were The Days Bob Dylan – It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes a Train To CryFavorite Sons – Things That We Do To Each Other The Beatles – I’ve Got a Feeling David Bowie – She Shook Me Cold Sarabeth Tucek – Ambulance

"...You’re listening to the Idelic Hour. Your host Jon Sidel reaching for the warmth and comfort of The Classics. Greetings to our friends at The Vinyl District.com!

That was ol’ Neil Young with I believe in you…….this is Jon Sidel your host. We’re approaching the end of this Idylic Hour. I want to thanks our friends at The Vinyl District and you for listening. Dial us in next week. We’ll be headed south for SXSW in Austin bringing you sounds from the big, bad Lone Star State.